Papatango has announced the winners of the 2025 Papatango Young Playwrights’ Award: Salma from Friern Barnet School, Anna from Frome Community College, and Cormack from Hammersmith & Fulham Mencap.
For the first time, the Award culminated in a professional showcase on the main stage at London’s Park Theatre on 25 June 2025.
Hosted by actor and writer Mathew Baynton (Horrible Histories, Ghosts, The Wrong Mans), the event featured eight shortlisted scripts selected from 470 entries.
These scripts were developed and produced by Papatango over the past year as part of their GoWrite programme, which is free and accessible to young people across southern England.
GoWrite supports participants from a wide range of backgrounds, including state schools, pupil referral units, SEN settings, and community groups for refugees, carers, and those receiving mental health or disability support.
This year’s showcase placed young writers on the same stage as Papatango’s professional productions, including the upcoming premiere of The Meat Kings! (Inc.) of Brooklyn Heights by Hannah Doran.
Kate Ereira, Papatango’s Creative Learning & Engagement Producer, said,
“A huge congratulations to the 470 young people we were privileged to produce and publish through GoWrite this year, and especially to the three winners of the Papatango Young Playwrights’ Award. This Award, the culmination of our completely free GoWrite programme, sees Papatango continue to live by our motto: all you need is a story. It is an amazing opportunity to present these young writers at the brilliant Park Theatre, who kindly donated their main stage so these new voices can share the same space as our next professional world premiere. We hope this will be the start of their own exciting, story-filled theatre journeys.”
Kerrie Fairclough, Deputy Head of English at Friern Barnet School, added,
“The performances of all the different monologues were absolutely outstanding and it was a real joy to be part of such a wonderful celebration of young people’s new writing. All of our students loved the entire event. Thanks to Papatango again for all that you do to support young people and their writing.”
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
